Most of today's security devices are designed to fit in buildings and vehicles, and such security devices are plug-ins to the mains current or powered by vehicle's battery to provide power to the components of the security devices. Therefore, there has been no need to optimise current consumption of such devices. Typical sensors used in these security devices are infrared and microwave detectors.
There are some portable security devices targeted for securing personal property items, which may be vulnerable to theft and vandalism. Such devices provide notification of disturbances to property items and tracking information regarding any movement of the property item. This kind of security device may be a module to be coupled to the cellular phone and then attached to property items like vehicles, trailers, bicycles, boats and home electronics. The power source of the cellular phone provides power to these security modules. Alternatively, the security device may be an integrated composition of security module and wireless transceiver, which composition is attached to property items described above. Rechargeable batteries or power sources are used to provide power to the components of these security devices. For tracking purposes the security device may be equipped with a tracking receiver or a receiver of the global position satellite (GPS) system.
Today's security devices are typically targeted to special applications, and they are usually fixed to the objects they are designed to protect. These kinds of security devices are rather expensive because they are not designed to be universal multi-purpose devices. Further, these security devices are so large in size that they are easily observed by potential offenders. When the device is the integrated composition of the security module and wireless transceiver, it is unusable in environments where radio frequency transmission is not allowed, e.g. aeroplanes in flight.
There is a need for a mobile, simple and inconspicuous device for monitoring integrity of a closed object, the object containing at least one item packed into it. The secure device should be easy and economical to produce and thus suitable for mass production, and the device is usable in a wide variety of applications to protect items in closed objects. The secure device should also be easy to place inside the closed object under monitoring. The term “mobile” means that the functionality of the device is independent of the place and movement of the closed object to be monitored.
The security device is designed to prevent theft, tampering, intrusion, adulteration or other such attempts on personal property items, chattels, goods and the like, which are packed into closed objects.
There is still a need for a simple and inconspicuous mobile security device for monitoring integrity inside a closed object, the security device comprising a wireless transmitter that can be switched off in totally safe conditions are dominant and/or in environments where radio frequency transmission is not allowed or possible. This allows more reliable operation of the security device by preventing unnecessary alarms, as well as savings in power consumption of the device. This is most beneficial in environments where extra interference is highly restricted or would be most unwanted.